| Piolo
Pascual and Sam Milby drop libel case against Lolit Solis |
| Actors Piolo Pascual and
Sam Milby finally faced entertainment columnist Lolit Solis and former Pilipino
Star Ngayon entertainment editor Veronica Samio... |
 |
 |
| Charice's
'baptism of fire' |
| The Showbiz Wheel of Fortune
turns in strange but otherwise predictable ways... |
|
|
| ‘Wowowee’
cast not aware of Honolulu party, says network |
| Broadcasting giant ABS-CBN
on Monday came to the defense of “Wowowee” cast members who reportedly
snubbed over 200 fans waiting for them at a private party in Honolulu... |
|
|
| Charice
will grace RP Independence Day parade in NY |
| Charice (yes, the former
Charice Pempengco) will grace the 2008 Philippine Independence Day grand
parade and street fair in New York City, the biggest Philippine Freedom Day
event outside the Philippines, on June 1 along Madison Avenue in Manhattan.
|
|
|
| Celebrities
pay tribute to their mothers |
| As Mother’s Day draws
near, here are some celebs’ mini tribute to their moms. |
|
|
| Charice
still high after her "Oprah" experience |
| This time, it was Oprah
Winfrey's turn to be charmed by the Philippines' Charice Pempengco. |
|
|
| FilAm
Kids Wow 'Dancing with the Stars' Judges |
| FilAm kids 10-year-old
Jaryd Farcon and eight-year-old Cara Abaya Campos performed the popular ballroom
dance step the cha-cha to the music of Bruce Chanel’s Hey! Baby in front
of millions of viewers on ABC’s hit dance show. |
|
|
| This
Pinoy is a rock star–believe it |
| This guy’s a rock
star? Arnel Pineda, new lead singer of the famous American band Journey,
says he still goes to Nepa Q-Mart to buy his favorite dalagang bukid. |
|
|
| Regine
rises above networks war |
| DUBBED as Asia’s Songbird,
Regine Velasquez is one of the most popular and adored singers in the country
today... |
|
|
| Celebrate
"Fiesta ng Musikang Filipino: An OPM Chronicle," May 2-4 |
| Imagine the Juan de la
Cruz band rocking out "Balong Malalim" and "Himig Natin" with violins and
cellos, the Jerks jamming with trumpets and flutes, or the Dawn performing
their signature songs accompanied by a clarinet solo. |
|
|
| Ramiele
Malubay’s alleged sentiments about "American Idol" spread on the
'Net |
| Following her elimination
from American Idol, a blog entry supposed to be that of ninth placer
Ramiele Malubay quickly spread over the Internet... |
|
|
 
 
Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby drop libel
case against Lolit Solis
by Nerisa Almo
Philippine Entertainment Portal, May 15, 2008
 Actors Piolo Pascual
and Sam Milby finally faced entertainment columnist Lolit Solis and former
Pilipino Star Ngayon entertainment editor Veronica Samio during the special
hearing held at the Branch 55 of the Manila Regional Trial Court last night,
May 14.
The special hearing was called to resolve
the libel case that the actors filed against Lolit and Veronica after the
columnist wrote in Pilipino Star Ngayon last October 15, 2007 that she saw
Piolo and Sam having "sweet moments" at the poolside of Sofitel Hotel in
Pasay City on October 12.
At the said hearing, Lolit signed a statement
of retraction. Part of the statement read: "There is no factual basis for
my article, which came out on October 12, 2007. I am extremely sorry for
dragging the names of Sam and Piolo."
In an interview with PEP Contributor and GMA
News reporter Nelson Canlas, Lolit said that she felt hurt by her friend
Johnny Manahan, the Star Magic head who handles the careers of Piolo and
Sam.
She said, "Seven months na 'yon, talagang
naa-upset ako. Na-upset ako dahil nga ang feeling ko talaga, kaibigan ko
si Johnny Manahan kaya yung bang sabi ko, parang nasaktan ko rin si Johnny
Manahan."
Meanwhile, Piolo and Sam withdrew the 12-million
libel suit against the entertainment columnist.
Piolo said in an interview, "Na-realize ko
na lang na buti na lang hindi umabot sa hearing because parang nanay ko na
'to, e. My mom is the same age, 61, I don't wanna see her in jail. So I'm
really happy and thankful na umabot tayo sa pag-aayos."
Before leaving the court, both parties promised
that they will not say or write anything against each other.
PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) got
a report from a source, who requested anonymity, that the settlement between
the two camps was initiated by Seiko Films producer Robbie Tan. Robbie is
said to be a close friend of Joji Alonso, the lawyer of Piolo and Sam.
Lolit and Veronica reportedly met with Robbie
and Atty. Alonso last Friday, May 9, a few days after Piolo and Sam made
a visit to the office of Secretary Raul Gonzalez in DOJ. It was in the said
meeting that Lolit allegedly agreed to make a retraction.
Charice's 'baptism of
fire'
FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo
Philippine Star, May 14, 2008
 The Showbiz Wheel of Fortune
turns in strange but otherwise predictable ways. You know how it goes: When
a starry-eyed hopeful is just struggling in the jungle world of showbiz,
nobody bothers with him. But when he starts to make a name, everybody gravitates
toward him. All of a sudden, he finds himself swamped with kith and kin extending
to the sixth degree.
Case in point: Charice (minus Pempengco because
her absentee father had stopped her from using that surname).
Until she was discovered by Ellen DeGeneres
late last year and even if she placed third in ABS-CBN’s Little Big
Star talent search, Charice was generally ignored by most everybody, which
is what usually happened this side of the world when you don’t have
the right “connection.” And then, Charice guested on The Paul
O’Grady Show in London early this year and then on Oprah Winfrey’s
show aired Monday night in the US, with the irrepressible Oprah listening
with mouth agape as Charice gave a stirring performance of the Whitney Houston
hit I Have Nothing, saying “Wow, wow, wow!” and later joining the
audience in giving Charice a standing ovation. But more on Charice’s
smash-hit Oprah appearance by and by.
Meanwhile, Charice and, more so, her mother
Raquel find themselves in the eye of some unsavory issues raised by, you
guessed it, Raquel’s own mom “Nanay Tess” in the tabs, to
wit:
l. Raquel has been “squandering”
Charice’s earnings,
2. Raquel is “crazy” over a new
“boyfriend,” and
3. “Nanay Tess” has sought the help
of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on how Raquel could better
handle Charice’s finances.
It must be noted that we are hearing about
“Nanay Tess” only now that Charice is being noticed not only here
but all over America. As I said, the Showbiz Wheel of Fortune is turning
in a predictable way. It has happened before to other showbiz aspirants.
Yes, it’s still the same old story.
In fairness to and in defense of (especially)
Charice (who, we should not forget, is our new source of national pride and
who deserves not jeers but cheers), Funfare contacted Raquel for her side
of the issues which constitute Charice’s own, oh well, “baptism
of fire.” Here’s Raquel (speaking in Tagalog; some portions of
her story have to be translated in English):
1. “Just because Charice is being invited
to guest in TV shows in the US doesn’t mean that we are already rich,
that we already have a lot of money. Ang pinakamahalaga ay ang malaking exposure
na ibinibigay kay Charice. When we go home from our trips to the US and we
bring with us some pasalubong, maybe it gives some people the impression
na mayaman na kami. Charice is starting to make a name but she’s still
struggling. Mahirap pa rin po kami.
“My mother and I haven’t been in
good terms for many years after she drove us (including Raquel’s other
child, Carl) away from home dahil wala daw akong silbi, maybe because I
couldn’t contribute anything to the family at ang dalawang anak ko lang
ang kinakaya kong buhayin. She packed our things in a sack and left it outside
of her house. Her parting words were, ‘Gagapang kang parang ahas!’
That was in 2000. I had to ask a neighbor help us carry our things. We had
to seek shelter in the house of people na mabait at nagmagandang-loob sa
amin, never mind if we have to sleep on the floor, walang banig at walang
unan. Sometimes, I would wonder, ‘Siguro, hindi ako tunay na anak ng
Nanay ko kaya ganoon siya sa akin.’”
2. “The ‘boyfriend’ mentioned
in the tabloid is the driver of the van that we rent for P2,500 a day when
we have to go to Manila from Batangas where we are now staying in an apartment
we are renting for P2,500. We don’t have our own car yet. Siempre, inuupahan
namin ‘yung van araw-araw kaya kasama namin siya araw-araw.” (Asked
about Charice’s father, Raquel has this to say...) “We have been
separated for more than 10 years now. We were married sa Iglesia ni Kristo.
He’s an addict. I decided to separate from him when he started hurting
me. When we separated, Charice was only about three years old. Wala po akong
boyfriend.”
3. “We are still poor and I thank God
that Charice is now earning. My mother doesn’t have to go to DOLE or
any other government agency to ask for help. Maayos ko pong hinahawakan ang
pera ni Charice; hindi ko po nilulustay.”
And now, back to Oprah...
After she sang, Charice got a big hug from
Oprah who asked her, “What a voice! Where does it come from?” Charice
said, “I use my head and my diaphragm.” Oprah laughed, “Oh,
I also have a diaphragm. Maybe I can use that, too!” Then, Charice,
near tears, leaned on Oprah’s chest. Oprah said, “Just lean on
my breast!”, thanking Charice for travelling for 15 hours from the
Philippines to realize her big dream of being on Oprah’s show. Saying
“Thank you,” Oprah then told Charice, “You are a force to
reckon with!”
And on that happy note, we end this bitter-sweet
story about Charice’s, oh well, “baptism of fire.”
Go ahead, Charice, do what you do best and
don’t be derailed by ugly issues being raised by relatives who should
raise you up (as Josh Groban sings) and not pull you down.
Yes, Charice, Oprah is right.
You are a force to reckon with!
‘Wowowee’ cast not aware of
Honolulu party, says network
Asian Journal, May 13, 2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Broadcasting giant
ABS-CBN on Monday came to
the defense of “Wowowee” cast members who
reportedly snubbed over 200 fans waiting for them at a private party in Honolulu,
saying they had not promised to attend any events other than the one at Aloha
Stadium.
“Wowowee,” the network’s top-rating
daily noontime variety show, staged a two-hour special in the 50,000-seat
stadium, the largest in Hawaii, on May 10 (May 11 in Manila). Portions of
the show will be aired soon locally on ABS-CBN Channel 2 and on The Filipino
Channel abroad.
In a statement to the Philippine Daily Inquirer
Monday, the network said it was not involved in the “Wowowee VIP Bash”
held at Rumours nightclub on May 8. The party was organized by a certain
Bigatin Productions.
According to a report from The Associated
Press, over 200 fans paid $100 (P4,248) each to attend the event that would
supposedly have program host Willie Revillame, co-hosts Mariel Rodriguez,
Valerie Concepcion, Precious Lara Quigaman, Pokwang and RR Enriquez, as well
as the Wowowee Dancers, as guests.
The report said ticket holders complained
they were made to wait for hours and that, in the end, only three dancers
turned up.
In a statement, ABS-CBN corporate communications
head Bong Osorio said: “The ‘Wowowee’ production team received
an invitation from the organizers of the private party, but [the team] never
accepted, committed or agreed to bring the [cast], except for the three
dancers... [The team was also] unaware that tickets [for the event] were
being sold.”
The network denied any association with Bigatin
Productions.
Charice will grace RP Independence Day
parade in NY
by Edmund Silvestre
 Charice (yes, the former
Charice Pempengco) will grace the 2008 Philippine Independence Day grand
parade and street fair in New York City, the biggest Philippine Freedom Day
event outside the Philippines, on June 1 along Madison Avenue in Manhattan.
Charice, who will be seen in Oprah this month
(May 12 in the US, according to reports), will also topbill the musical
extravaganza following the two-hour parade. She will be joined on stage by
Randy Santiago, Fe delos Reyes and Dancing With the Stars Fil-Am kid dancers
Jaryd Farcon and Cara Abaya Campos.
The stars will be flown to New York City by
TFC/ABS-CBN International, according to Raul Estrellado, president of the
Philippine Independence Day Committee, Inc. (PIDCI).
"Everybody is so excited to see and hear Charice
in person," said Estrellado. "Every Filipino is so proud of her. Randy is
a music icon back home, while Fe is a superb comedian who is known to all
Filipinos in the US, kaya sila talaga ang perfect guests in this celebration."
Princess Punzalan (now a housewife and nursing
student in Connecticut) will host the cultural show, while CBS New York
anchorwoman Kristine Johnson and CBS New York reporter Hazel Sanchez, both
Fil-Ams, will emcee the parade competition at the reviewing stand.
According to PIDCI officers Ner Martinez (brother
of comedian Leo Martinez) and Vivian Velasco, members of the PBA Legends
USA (formerly of the Philippine Basketball Association) are marching in the
parade. Confirmed to march are former PBA superstars Francis Arnaiz, Abe
King, Abet Guidaben, Danny Florencio, Estoy Estrada, Bernie Fabiosa, Marte
Saldana, Tim Colloso, Yoyoy Villamin, Atoy Co and Mon Fernandez.
Leading the parade are New York City Mayor
Michael Bloomberg, Philippine Ambassador to the US Willy Gaa, New York Consul
General Cecilia Rebong, Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Hilaro
Davide, Deputy Consul General Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek and this year’s
grand marshal, Monsignor Oscar Aquino, and the Diwa ng Kalayaan court of
beauties.
The annual parade draws thousands of spectators
from various states in the US East Coast. Among those who have graced this
major event in the past include US Senator Hillary Clinton, City Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, former City Mayors Rudolph Giuliani and David Dinkins, Philippine
Senator Loren Legarda, former Speaker Jose de Venecia, former Vice President
Joseph Estrada, former Vice President Gloria Arroyo, former Senator Tito
Sotto, businesswoman Loida Nicolas Lewis, Gloria Diaz, Miriam Quiambao, Lea
Salonga, Diether Ocampo, Ricky Davao, Patricia Javier, Ronnie Ricketts and
wife Mariz.
Celebrities pay tribute to their
mothers
by Dolly Anne Carvajal
Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 6, 2008
MANILA, Philippines—Not a day goes by
that I don’t miss my mom. But in some inexplicable way, I feel her presence
now more than ever.
Being Inday Badiday’s daughter will always
be my best credential. Even now that she’s gone, people who recognize
me still say, “Uy! Anak ni Inday o!”
I can’t help but smile every time I hear
that. It only goes to show that my mom left a permanent dent in people’s
hearts.
As Mother’s Day draws near, here are
some celebs’ mini tribute to their moms. Time to smother our mothers
with well-deserved accolades! Here’s to you, my superwoMOM!
Sam Milby: “When my mom pushed me to
come back to the Philippines, I didn’t wanna stay because maiiwan ko
friends sa States. Wala pa akong kilala dito except my relatives. Little
did I know that it would pave the way for my entry to show biz. My ma’s
decision turned my life around. ”
Miriam Quiambao: “My mom is an avid devotee
of Mama Mary. When I got separated and was suffering from depression, she
prayed the rosary with me during my sleepless nights until I would fall asleep.
She encouraged me to get busy in order to move forward in life. Now I’m
back on my feet and stronger than ever.”
Ogie Alcasid: “I remember my mom deciding
for me that I should shift to mass com in UP Diliman instead of finishing
my agriculture degree in UP Los Baños. I was quite confused then as
to what my calling was. It was in entertainment pala!”
Toni Rose Gayda: “There was a time my
mom hated the guy I was seeing. He was a very charming, charismatic guy.
I fought for him only to realize that the rumors were true—that he was
a liar and a deceiver. No wonder my mom could never accept him.”
Cherry Pie Picache: “There were many
things that my mother taught me. But I took them for granted and realized
the truth only when I became a mother myself. We should appreciate and, in
our own little ways, give back the love our moms gave us unselfishly.”
Rachel Alejandro: “Many times my mom
had better discernment than me. Like when I put my faith in someone who claimed
he could put together a demo for me to get a record deal in the US. Mom had
negative vibes about him. True enough, he duped me. I had to sell an expensive
watch to afford the project.”
Karylle: “It’s great to get advice
from friends but even better to get advice from a mother. Sometimes I think
it’d be nice to just let her side with me completely and tell me that
everything I say is correct. But her open-mindedness and non-judgmental nature
help me see different sides of the story, which in the long run is what I
needed to hear because mother knows best.”
Jed Madela: “My mom always had strong
instincts. When I was in high school, she didn’t allow me to join my
friends at a bar. I resented it because she gave me no reason why di niya
ako pinayagan. The next day, I was shocked to find out that the bar burned
down and many people died.”
Christian Bautista: “My mom once sat
down with me and told me I should give more time to the family. After that,
I became closer to everybody. She’s right in saying that no matter what,
it’s always the family that we can run to.”
Cristine Reyes: “Parati akong sinasabihan
ni ma na mag-ingat sa show biz friends ko. Kilatisin ko daw kung sino ang
totoo. Pag may tao na ayaw si ma na maging ka-close ko, nilalayo na niya
ako agad.”
Roxanne Guinoo: “Every time I fall in
love, my ma knows from the start if the relationship would last or not. Tama
ang kutob niya parati.”
Sunshine Cruz: “I’ve made decisions
in my life that were against my mama’s wishes. But after kong madapa,
she always welcomes me back with open arms—no questions asked.”
Charice still high after her "Oprah"
experience
by Bong Godinez
Philippine Entertainment Portal, May 5, 2008
 This time, it was
Oprah Winfrey's turn to be charmed by the Philippines' Charice Pempengco.
With her Ellen DeGeneres appearance still
lingering in the memory of her countrymen, young singing sensation Charice
pulled off another stellar feat when she graced the highly-popular U.S. talk
show Oprah, hosted by Oprah Winfrey.
Charice shared with The Buzz yesterday, May
4, that the influential American host and media mogul deliberately skipped
watching her rehearsal because she wanted to be surprised during the actual
taping.
"Kahit po siya hindi niya po ako kilala,"
said Charice to hosts Boy Abunda and Ruffa Gutierrez.
"Kumbaga, talaga pong gusto niya po ma-surprise
sa talent ko so nag-perform po ako nandoon po siya sa gilid," she added,
while obviously still reeling from the entire experience.
Throughout the performance, Oprah silently
watched in one corner as Charice exhibited her vocal power along with other
young talents.
"Nasa gilid po siya nanonood po, so kinanatahan
ko po siya," recounted the 15-year-old belter from Cabuyao, Laguna. "Medyo
naluha po siya tapos sinabi po niya sa akin nung after po ng performance
ko, sinabi niya sa akin na hindi daw po siya makapaniwalang ganoon kagaling
ang mga Pinoy."
Winning fans all over the globe
Oprah's enthusiasm with Charice's extraordinary
talent isn't entirely new. Since placing third behind eventual champion Sam
Concepcion in the local singing tilt Little Big Star in 2005, Charice's singing
career skyrocketed, mainly through video postings of her performances in
YouTube.
Prior to Oprah's show, Charice had been invited
by some foreign programs after seeing her perform in South Korea's Star King.
E! which later on cited Charice in its "The Daily 10" segment under the banner
"A Star Is Born." The "Hollywood Royalty Segment," on the other hand,
acknowledged the young singer with a headline that read "A Queen Is Born."
Unknown to Charice, American talk show host
Ellen DeGeneres had been keeping an eye on her after watching her sing in
YouTube. Ellen even showed clippings of Charice singing and went on to imitate
her gestures before issuing an invitation to the Filipino talent to grace
the show.
On December 19, 2007, Charice accepted Ellen's
invitation and performed two songs on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The young
singing sensation also had the chance to personally meet esteemed American
composer David Foster during her short U.S. stay.
Last April 8, 2008, Charice once again conquered
the international stage, this time as a guest performer in London's Paul
O' Grady Show. Charice dished out her two signature cover songs: "And I Am
Telling You I'm Not Going," taken from the movie Dreamgirls, and Whitney
Houston's 1992 smash hit "I Will Always Love You." Charice received two standing
ovations from the audience.
Charice was also featured in various news
programs abroad, like CNN and France News.
But nothing still beats the euphoria of meeting
and, much more, sharing the spotlight with the unrivaled Oprah Winfrey.
"Sa studio po, nung nag-guest po ako... So
siyempre before po ako mag-perform, nung rehearsal po, ipinakita po sa akin
‘yong studio. So sabi po nila, tingnan mo na, diyan ka kakanta bukas,"
she recalled being told by the staff.
Just the thought of stepping inside the Harpo
studio was enough to excite Charice. "So parang hindi po ako makapaniwala
na ‘yon na ‘yong studio ng Oprah tapos sabi umikot ka diyan, tumalon
ka... Tumalon po ako kasi talagang ‘yon po ‘yong pangarap
ko—makapag-guest sa show na ‘yon," she confessed to Boy and Ruffa.
On May 12, the entire world will witness the
realization of that dream.
FilAm Kids Wow ‘Dancing with the
Stars’ Judges
by Joseph Pimentel
Asianjournal.com, April 22, 2008
LOS ANGELES – The latest FilAm wunderkinds
put on their dancing shoes on last Tuesday’s episode of Dancing with
the Stars.
 FilAm kids, 10-year-old
Jaryd Farcon and eight-year-old Cara Abaya Campos performed the popular ballroom
dance step the cha-cha to the music of Bruce Chanel’s Hey! Baby in front
of millions of viewers on ABC’s hit dance show.
In their one-minute dance set, these pint-sized
ballroom dancers strutted their stuff with rapid hip movement, splits, and
exaggerated facial impressions, a must in every ballroom dancer’s arsenal.
Afterwards, all three judges were impressed by the performance and asked
the young couple to come back.
“Jaryd, your hip action,” said Judge
Bruno Tonioli. “You could teach some of our professionals.”
“Cara, you’re only eight years old
and you’re dancing like a 40-year old hot mama,” added Judge Carrie
Ann Inaba.
“Sharp, crisp leg action, fabulous hips,
beautiful Cuban break, the whole package. It was fantastic,” said head
judge Len Goodman after the performance.
These kids are not your ordinary elementary
school students. During the past year, Jaryd and Cara have performed on
NBC’s Today Show and won talk show hosts Maury Povich’s “Most
Talented Kids” competition.
Jaryd and Cara both from the East Coast have
been dancing together for more than a year. They have been competing in national
and international competitions, according to Cara’s mom Irene Campos,
who recently spoke with the Asian Journal about their accomplishments.
Irene said that since the two young kids have
been performing together they’ve won first or second place in a number
of competitions in their divisions. This year alone, Cara and Jaryd have
won two second place trophies in the USA Dance Championships Nationals, 1st
Place in the Teddy bear – JIVE division at the Le Classique in Montreal,
Canada; and a first and second place award in the Manhattan Dancesport Regional
in New York.
“I’m so proud of these kids,”
said Irene. “They really work hard and compete to be the best.”
The Dancing with the Stars Junior 10-and-under
age group competition began this year. During last Tuesday’s competition,
Jaryd and Cara bested their opponent 10-year-old Dmitriy Slobodskiy and Michelle
Kaplansky for a chance to come back again.
ABC Dancing with the Stars producers have
asked the young FilAm couple to perform again on the show sometime in May,
according to Irene. (AJ)
Update! Jaryd and Cara are scheduled to
appear on Dancing with the Stars May 13.
Watch video of Jaryd & Cara on 'Dancing with the Stars'
Fancy footwork for kids headed to 'Dancing with the
Stars'
by Chandra M. Hayslett
Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger, April 24, 2008
Cara Campos, of Nutley, and Jaryd Farcon,
of Fords, dance a Cha Cha
for the students at Our Lady of Peace in Woodbridge.
The cameras were rolling. The crowd was cheering. It was the perfect setting
for dancers Jaryd and Cara to show off their moves.
With grace and elegance, and nearly walking
on his tipped-toes, Jaryd Farcon, 10, led his partner, Cara Abaya Campos,
8, to the gym floor this morning in Woodbridge. The music was cued and they
performed a one-minute cha-cha routine with the precision worthy of a top
prize.
The two are hoping the judges will be just
as excited about their dancing May 13, when they represent New Jersey and
the east coast on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars."
Jaryd, a fourth-grader at Our Lady of Peace
School in the Fords section of Woodbridge, and Cara, a second-grader at St.
Clare Catholic School in Clifton, competed on the hit-television show, which
pairs a celebrity with a professional dancer, April 12. They were selected
as finalists to perform next month.
"I never thought we would end up on TV," said
Cara, who lives in Nutley at started dancing in January 2006. "I was like
'Oh my God, we're meeting stars.'"
The two met 14 months ago during a talent
showcase in Elizabeth that's organized by a group of mothers in the Filipino
community.
"I happened to be sitting at the same table
(as the Farcons) and I liked his footwork. I asked them if Jaryd was looking
for a dance partner and the rest is history," said Cara's mother, Irene
Abaya-Campos, adding that it's rare for dancers to find a good match.
The two performed earlier today during a pep
rally at Our Lady of Peace so ABC could shoot footage to air on the show
at 9 p.m., May 13 on ABC.
Jaryd, who started dancing when he was 3 years
old, said he and Cara are still working on their routine for the finals,
when they will dance a Samba. They only have a minute to impress the judges,
which Jaryd said is challenging.
"It's really hard because you want to put
all the cool moves into it," he said.
This Pinoy is a rock star–believe
it
by Pocholo Concepcion
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 20, 2008
 MANILA, Philippines
- This guy’s a rock star? Arnel Pineda, new lead singer of the famous
American band Journey, says he still goes to Nepa Q-Mart to buy his favorite
dalagang bukid.
He confesses that he is “living like
a saint” at the moment, religiously following a regimen of exercise
and healthy diet, and mostly just staying home with his family. This, before
a daunting tour that starts in June.
Yes, he is a rock star, though stands a tad
too short and, offstage, looks so unassuming, that he could blend with the
neighborhood bums.
But Pineda, the country’s biggest music
celebrity at the moment, doesn’t give a hoot.
At 40, he is no spring chicken, but life for
him is just beginning. In two months he is bound to fully appreciate what
it means to be Journey’s frontman, as the band goes on an intercontinental
tour that kicks off in Spain, and proceeds to Germany, the Netherlands, the
UK, Italy, Ireland, and the US. The tour’s Asian leg will have stops
in Australia, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
There are reportedly eight promoters bidding
for the band’s Manila gig in November.
Plus, Journey has been invited to play on
“Ellen” (Ellen DeGeneres’ show) on the strength of Pineda’s
celebrated YouTube video that caught Journey founder/guitarist Neil Schon’s
eye. Taping for “Ellen” is set May 22.
Huge following
Journey is not exactly the world’s hottest
band right now. None of its albums figure prominently among critics’
favorites. But from 1979 to 1983, it gained a huge following after recording
a string of albums (“Evolution,”
“Departure,” “Escape,”
“Frontiers”) that helped define what a power ballad sounded like.
These days, it’s typical of karaoke clubs
to have somebody at the mic belting out Journey hits like “Don’t
Stop Believing” or “Open Arms”—often with difficulty.
Last year, Journey enjoyed newfound resurgence,
via the US hit TV series “The Sopranos.” The last scene of the
final season showed actor James Gandolfini (as Tony Soprano) scanning a jukebox
and playing “Don’t Stop Believing” while waiting for his wife
and kids at a diner. The song served as soundtrack for the scene.
The band has toured regularly in the past
few years with former big names like Def Leppard, Cheap Trick and Heart.
But probably not until it announced Pineda’s hiring did the idea of
a top-draw American band with an Asian front man become very interesting,
indeed.
Regular guys, but white
“The weird part is, performing with Journey
feels just like playing with my old band Zoo,” says Pineda in an interview
at the Inquirer office. “Kaya lang, major league ang Journey— big
stage, big lights, big music.”
Having gone past the star-struck phase, Pineda
has discovered that his new bandmates are regular guys who talk about simple
things and have their own dreams. He felt right at home with them, “kahit
puti sila.” (even if they are white).
Home for a break before the grueling tour
(the US leg alone has 49 shows), Pineda talks about the curious little details
that he is doing, or not doing, for the first time: “I don't eat pork
and beef, just fruits, vegetables, fish and chicken. I take raw, wild honey
because it’s good for the voice, it’s an antioxidant and anti-viral.
I drink lots of alkaline water. And I talk only when really necessary.”
But he rehearses old and new Journey songs
every day. The routine starts with exercises that he learned from vocal coaches
who’ve trained the Eagles’ Don Henley and Journey’s former
frontman, Steve Perry, acknowledged as the one who gave the band its distinctive
voice.
That high tenor, Pineda admits, is like a
“shadow” that he won’t be able to get away from easily.
Make or break
But the forthcoming release of a new Journey
album offers a window of opportunity. The record, a special 3-disc (CD/DVD)
package titled “Revelation,” features Pineda singing in 11 Journey
classics, as well as 11 new songs.
“It's make or break,” he says.
“‘If it becomes a hit, I can get get our from that shadow. But
not totally, kasi andu’n yung greatest hits. But it’s a huge honor
to sing those hits.”
A track from the album, “After All These
Years,” is touted to be a potential hit.
Pineda describes it as a ballad “about
a couple—after all the trials and heartaches, they are still
together.”
The recording sessions, according to Pineda,
were enough to debunk the notion of Journey as being inflated with rock-star
egos. He says Schon has invited him to contribute songs for the next album.
“Sabi niya, ‘Man, you have to get used to living in America because
I want you to write songs with me.’” Pineda says he’s got
a bunch of English lyrics written down through the years.
Apart from his bandmates’ graciousness,
Pineda is grateful for having been introduced by his vocal coaches to the
“science of singing.” He refers to techniques through which he
learned how to breathe properly. Now he’s amazed that he’s able
to again sing the songs he had long dropped because he couldn’t reach
the high notes.
“When I was 15, maski three hours lang
ang tulog ko, kinabukasan kakanta uli ako ng Chaka Khan (‘Through the
Fire’) or Heart (‘What About Love’),” he recalls, cracking
up the Inquirer Entertainment staff.
Tailored future
This rock star, by the way, used to sing just
about anything.
He remembers that his parents, both tailors,
used to prop him up, as young as 6 years old, to join amateur singing contests.
“‘Pag fiesta, kinakabahan na ko, bobolahin na ’ko ng father
ko, susukatan na ko ng damit, kunwari may magpapatahi, pero ako na pala
’yung gagawan ng damit. Pinapalista na nila ko sa barangay. Ayoko, umiiyak
ako, pag kumakanta ako sa stage, nanginginig ako sa nerbiyos.” (I get
the jitters every fiesta season. My father would make me a nice costume,
then he would enter my name in the village singing contest. I used to cry.
I had severe stage fright.)
It is his late mother that he considers his
earliest musical influence.
“Tatawagin niya ako habang nananahi siya
para kantahin namin ’yung Carpenters … ‘You’ve got to
love me for what I am…’ Saka ‘yung ‘Evergreen’ ni
Barbra Streisand.” (We used to sing songs by the Carpenters. And Evergreen
by Barbra Streisand.)
In hindsight, his mother’s death, which
left the family in financial trouble, gave him the impetus to try doing what
he never thought he would be good at—singing for a living.
Pineda has come a long way from Shakey’s
Cubao, Cal-Jam Olongapo and Cavern Club in Hong Kong, singing the classic
hits of his idols, from Aerosmith to Led Zeppelin. He’s some sort of
a legend in the cover-band circuit for his high-pitched vocals that could
tackle any rock ballad that one could think of.
Even so, he says nothing prepared him for
the daunting task of singing with Journey for the first time at the Viña
del Mar International Song Festival in Chile last February. Backstage, he
was scared as hell, certain that the gig was an acid test and that the audience
had turned up only to judge whether he deserved to be there.
It turned out they were indeed rabid Perry
fans, a fact that Schon only told him after the show. So I won't get the
jitters,” Pineda laughs.
Another show was in Santiago, known for one
of the most vicious audiences in the world. “I was told they would boo
you until you lose focus,” Pineda relates. “The good news is, it
did not happen.”
He says the fear of committing a mistake benefited
him, as he became more careful, not overly confident, “pero kung maririnig
ng matatalas ang tenga ’yung performance ko, marami akong sabit, mga
flats, kasi I was being very careful na ’wag akong sumobra.” (but
I always listen to myself, I don't want to go overboard.)
Voice in protest
He has enough reason to be extra careful now.
During a small gig in Pebble Beach, Monterey
County, California, his voice collapsed after eight songs. “Bigla na
lang siyang bumaba, hindi ko maabot ’yung right key,” he recounts.
“Unti-unti ko lang siyang naibalik after four more songs pero kung baga,
pilay na ako. Dinaan ko sa showmanship. Nagustuhan pa rin ng tao. Ang nanood
sa ’min mga 300 people lang, pero top dealers of Chevrolet cars. It
was a corporate show.” (I faltered once. I was able to recover with
lots of showmanship. The people liked it.)
He says he’s psychologically prepared,
in case it happens again. “Kailangan alam mo kung pa’no i-turn
around. Gamitin mo siya to your advantage.” (One must realize when to
turn-around and use that to advantage.)
He’s noticeably wearing braces to correct
a dysfunction. He says his left jawbone is deteriorating and the right one
is starting to show the same symptoms. “But it’s curable through
therapy. Nakuha ko ’to from stress and too much talking … also
because I grind my teeth while asleep.”
The pain of those dysfunctional jawbones,
alongside another affliction called acid reflux in the stomach, made him
quit singing in Hong Kong in 2006. He describes acid reflux as being akin
to ulcer, something akin to having intense heartburn. At this point, the
normally jovial Pineda turns morbid: “‘Pag pinabayaan, it can lead
to cancer.” (It might just develop into cancer.)
Three-year contract
But these ailments are the least of his worries
right now, since he has a dependable manager in Bert de Leon, otherwise known
as a TV director (“Eat Bulaga,” “Todas”), but whose love
of music and knowledge of the business (he was a former executive at the
defunct Blackgold label of Vicor Records) serves Pineda in good stead. De
Leon makes sure he gets sufficient medical attention.
“We’ve been ‘married’
for the past two years,” Pineda says of his relationship with de Leon.
It’s something that Pineda holds dearly,
since de Leon was instrumental in getting him gigs and a record deal with
the band Zoo when he decided to return from Hong Kong, where he said he was
one of the highest paid performers in the famous Lan Kwai Fung entertainment
district.
De Leon, who was present at the interview,
says Pineda’s contract with Journey is for three years, with mutual
renewal options. The time frame was based on the three-year working visa
that the US Immigration and Naturalization Service gave Pineda.
Friends say he should seize the chance to
have a green card, but he’s nonchalant about the idea. For now he’s
just happy to be home in Kamuning, Quezon City, to play with his 2-year-old
son, Cherub, and look brightly to the future with his “wife-to-be”
Cherry. (He has two other sons, Matthew Anthony, 19, and Angelo Neil, 13,
from previous relationships.)
He says Cherry is overwhelmed. “Life
has changed, all too sudden. That’s why Direk Bert is not only a manager
now, but also a big brother and adviser. He tells us: ‘Take things one
day at a time. Otherwise, mapi-freak out ka.’”
Regine rises above networks
war
by Pepper Marcelo
Planet Philippines, April 16-30, 2008
 DUBBED as Asia’s
Songbird, Regine Velasquez is one of the most popular and adored singers
in the country today. Significantly, she gained her success and public acclaim
through pure talent and an immense work ethic, without familial connections
or favors typical within the industry.
Her private life, her love life in particular,
has been in the limelight for a year now since her boyfriend, fellow singer
and composer Ogie Alcasid, had publicly admitted their romance, a fact that
many showbiz insiders knew all along but which the couple never confirmed.
Recently there was a mild furor over reports that she was mulling moving
over to ABS-CBN, fueled no doubt by the unending networks war between the
Lopez-owned station and GMA-7. Remarkably, in both instances, Regine has
come through relatively unscathed and more popular than ever.
Although she considers herself a freelance
talent, the 37-year-old singer-actress has been a regular mainstay at GMA-7,
appearing on many programs and co-hosting a regular gig on the weekly program
SOP. On occasions, however, she has ventured to ABS-CBN, guesting on some
of their shows and becoming a featured actress on programs like Maalaala
Mo Kaya, where she garnered the Best Actress prize at the Star Awards during
her first appearance.
During a recent press conference for her second
MMK appearance, she was asked whether it was a prelude to an eventual permanent
stay at ABS-CBN. Though non-committal, she said that she liked hopping from
one network to another, depending on the project offered and her schedule.
“I happen also to like to work with
ABS-CBN,” she said. “But at the same time, I've been with GMA for
a long, long time. They also took good care of me. Kaya lang kasi, as an
artist, minsan you want to experience something else. You want growth, you
want to be challenged. And since nangyayari po itong [network] war na ito,
kami pong mga artist, hindi lang kami makapagsalita. But actually, kami po
yung nagigipit. That's the truth, di ba?”
She went to great lengths to explain how difficult
it was for her and other artists to be caught in the middle of these backroom
maneuverings. Speaking for herself, Regine said she is constantly looking
for challenges and opportunities to collaborate with interesting people.
“Kasi bilang artista, gusto mong makasalamuha
ng iba't ibang production, ibang artista, ibang mukha. Gusto mong ma-experience
yun and for just the experience alone, masarap yun, e. But with what's been
going on, I don't know... I hope that this doesn't sound negative or I hope
that this won't put me in a weird situation on both channels. This is just
my opinion as an artist. It's really hard na gusto mo rin maka-experience
makalabas dito [ABS-CBN] without causing a commotion. Kasi, hindi ba, every
time kasi may ganun, parang it's such a commotion na parang it shouldn't
be naman.”
She blamed the media and some fans for focusing
too much on the pilfering and switching of stars from one network to another.
The attention, she said, doesn’t benefit the industry as a whole.
“It's really sad because our industry
is very small and as matter of fact, it is even dying. And then, in the midst
of all these things, nagugulo pa tayo ng war...itong war ng two networks.
I personally don't understand because dapat po, ang artista wala na...wala
kaming kinalaman. Wala naman talaga kaming kinalaman. Hindi naman po ako
ang may-ari ng network.”
She continued: “We should be complimenting
each other. After all, ang laki-laki naman ng Pilipinas. Parang ano ba yung
number one and number two? What does that mean? I don't actually
understand.”
By all appearances, Regine appeared ready
to jump ship. The rumor was that she was unhappy with GMA-7 for not giving
her the hosting chore for Pinoy Idol (the local franchise of American Idol).
Although she hosted the network’s Pinoy Pop Superstar, another singing
talent search, the producers reportedly wanted a local equivalent to US host
Ryan Seacrest, and ultimately chose Raymond Gutierrez. To entice her to switch,
ABS-CBN offered her several shows, including a remake of Betty La Fea and
other musical variety shows.
Last February on SOP, Regine tearfully performed
what many assumed to be her last appearance on the station. GMA executives,
including President Rene Gozon, immediately set a meeting with Regine to
iron out problems. In the end, she decided to stay. Insiders say she will
be given her own show, a telenovela, and perhaps a movie by GMA Films. On
the aborted Betty Fea role, she later admitted, “Siyempre, meron talagang
panghihinayang on my part. Plastik naman ako kung sasabihin ko na hindi ako
nanghihinyang.”
In her return engagement at SOP, she announced,
“I will remain a Kapuso and I’m proud to be Kapuso,” invoking
the network’s nickname. She also added that it wasn’t about the
money. “Hindi naman ito pera-pera lang,” she said. “I said
on [ABS’s gossip show] The Buzz . . . na I was jobless (her contract
with GMA expired last October), because it’s true. I want to do something,
and they offered me that something. It’s for my growth as an artist.
I was looking for a new venue for my growth.”
After her appearance, Ogie said he was relieved
at how events played out. “Umaapaw ang aking kasiyahan! I'm very proud
of her. Naninindigan siya sa sinasabi niya, very proud.”
During the show, Regine thanked family and
friends, making special mention of Ogie for supporting her during the days
“that I felt I was alone in this inner battle.” She admitted that
she had to think about how he’d feel as well. “Maraming factors
talaga. I also need to consider his feelings. But, alam ninyo kasi, the thing
with me is that hindi kasi ako masyadong mahirap utuin!”
Regine and Ogie have been inseparable since
their public admission of their romance. But marriage has to wait pending
the official annulment of Ogie’s marriage to former beauty queen Michelle
Van Eimeren of Australia. She and their two daughters have been living in
Australia for several years now. Ogie visits them regularly, and Regine and
Michelle are surprisingly on good terms with each other.
Regine doused speculations that she is pregnant.
“I’m not,” she said. “Ilang taon nang natsitsismis na
buntis ako, pero hindi po. Pinaplano namin [ni Ogie], we have many things
to settle pa. We need to be ready, na maging practical kami. Hindi naman
ganoon kamura o kadaling magpalaki ng anak. We want to give a good life sa
magiging children namin. We need to plan, finish what we need to settle.
Si Ogie marami pa siyang dapat ayusin at kapag naging okey na ang lahat,
that’s the time na puwede na.”
In the meantime, the love birds continue to
make beautiful music together. They have collaborated on numerous shows and
concerts and are now working on a movie entitled Love Is Blind and Deaf,
to be released later in the year.
If you have any feedback, reaction or comment
about the article, please email buzzwordmedia@yahoo.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regine will be having a US concert tour
in May & June 2008. For the complete schedule please visit our main page
@
www.carouselpinoy.com
Celebrate "Fiesta ng Musikang Filipino:
An OPM Chronicle," May 2-4
by Jocelyn Dimaculangan
Philippine Entertainment Portal, April 18, 2008
 Imagine the Juan
de la Cruz band rocking out "Balong Malalim" and "Himig Natin" with violins
and cellos, the Jerks jamming with trumpets and flutes, or the Dawn performing
their signature songs accompanied by a clarinet solo.
All of these will be realized from May 2-4
when Filipino bands perform every night at 8 pm with the Manila Philharmonic
Orchestra. Fiesta ng Musikang Filipino: An OPM Chronicle will take place
at the mecca of performing arts, the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
This three-day fiesta is presented by Creative
Dynamic Marketing, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, PAGCOR and PCSO.
The event promises to be a treat for OPM fans as it brings together bands
in an effort to fuse musical styles, all in celebration of original Filipino
music.
Fiesta ng Musikang Filipino shall be a fusion
of Pinoy music, breaking boundaries of time and genre. The night begins with
a soulful performance from Lucia Micarelli, an American alternative solo
violinist together with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra. Enjoy performances
of Pinoy rock music as well as originals from The Dawn, Up Dharma Down,
Sinosikat, Sugarfree, The Drip, and the Radioactive Sago Project. Capping
off the grand musical event will be a performance of the Juan De La Cruz
band together with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.
Proceeds of the event will benefit the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the Philippines' (CBCP) John Mary Vianney Gallilee
Development and Retreat Center for Priests in Tagaytay City.
Tickets are available at Ticketworld, Music
One and selected Odyssey outlets.
Dates: May 2, 3 and 4, 2008 (8 pm)
Venue: Cultural Center of the Philippines
Main Theater, CCP complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
Ramiele Malubay’s alleged sentiments
about "American Idol" spread on the 'Net
by Nerisa Almo
Philippine Entertainment Portal, April 8, 2008
 Following her elimination
from American Idol, a blog entry supposed to be that of ninth placer
Ramiele Malubay quickly spread over the Internet. In the said blog entry,
the Filipino-American Idol aspirant revealed her alleged sentiments
and complaints about the show.
The said entry was written on Thursday, April
3, 2008—a day after Ramiel was eliminated on American
Idol—and was posted on her alleged MySpace blog.
The blog entry read (published as is): "I
am so sad on what happened but not because of the people's decision, but
what the staff told us. Please do not send me messages until I finish my
statement.
"I am still here in California, by the way
please vote for David Cook to be the 7th American Idol, I know he
will, let's pray for him, inspirational songs for next week, and I chose
heal our land but I can not sing that anymore."
After that, the entry revealed that a technical
glitch on the voting system of American Idol was found out. "There
are news from people here in USA who were mad, cause they were dialing my
number but instead of thank you for voting ramiele, it was thank you for
voting other's name.
"Technical problem. This problem is the same
as on the case of Chris Daughtry."
Chris was in the final four of the fifth season
of American Idol. While Idol judge Simon Cowell said he thought
Katherine McPhee would be eliminated, the turnout of votes revealed otherwise.
When it was announced that Chris was eliminated, he was obviously surprised
with the result.
The vote-tallying website called DialIdol
later on said that they have predicted that Daughtry was the lowest vote-getter
of the week. Another reason given was that maybe Daughtry's fans were
overconfident that he would be safe, so they did not call to vote for him.
THE PERFORMANCES. Aside from this technical
concern, the blog entry also talked about the way they choose the songs that
they are going to perform and how it also affects the voters.
The entry read, "You know every week we have
theme, and they told that few weeks before that week. They gave us list of
songs and we choose our song, but sometimes you can hear from some staffs,
‘Oh it's not for you try to sing fast songs' and they called me lullaby
instead of Malubay.
"The staff also arranged the songs and most
of the times judges didn't like it, and they told us about the blocking like
when I performed In My Life, Simon didn't like the stair drama.
"In the case of Brooke, they told Brooke not
to use guitar but she insisted it and she had a wonderful job."
NOISE FOR THE RATINGS. Lastly, the blog entry
also pointed out that American Idol hype up some issues to get a good rating.
One example was the case of David Hernandez, who, according to reports, is
a former stripper.
"The pilot episode's rating was lower than
season 6, and they make some noise, and they won. What noise? The stripper
issue, the racy photos which are not, the my space video, the album of Carly
[Smithson], etc.
"Josiah Lemming [one of the semi-finalists
in Season 7] was mad sa American Idol because we know he deserves
to be on top 6, cause they pick those who would make noise."
Those mentioned in the blog entries as
"noisemakers" were David Archuleta and Syesha Mercado. "David Archuleta won
star search, Alexandria [Lushington] and David made a noise cause they were
co-semi finalist in that said show, Syesha was the one in the US version
of star academy."
In the end of the blog entry, "Ramiele" explained
that she was expecting that her blog could be suspended after she published
this information.
"Few hours after the result's night I made
a blog that tells everything Iknow what happened on my myspace where Mr.
Damian grass of associated press used my blog for those racy photos.
"If you can help me please put on your blog
all the things that I said. Chris of American Idol 5 was disappointed
cause of the technical problem, and look what happened to Taylor hicks and
Chris. That's why AI showed some clips about post idol life."
In the end, it was mentioned that Ramiele
is set to come here in the Philippines for Pinoy Idol. "Good thing
is there are offers, I'll be there in Philippines for pinoy idol, and hopefully
in ABS-CBN with a pinoy who won sa isang reality show sa Europe, I think
he will be in "Altagracia" with KC [Concepcion] and John Lloyd [Cruz]."
It is not yet determiend if Ramiele wrote
these blog entries, but by the sound of her exit interview on American Idol
website, it seems so hard to believe that the diminutive Fil-Am can say those
things.
DIFFERENT TONE. In the exit interview of Ramiele,
which was posted on the American Idol website, the 20-year-old Idol hopeful
was in a totally different tone compared to what she allegedly written on
her MySpace blog.
The third Filipino-American who reached the
Final 12 of American Idol admitted that she was not surprised with the result
of last week's elimination. In fact, she said, "I kinda felt it all day
yesterday."
She also said that she did not regret picking
out "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind" when they were required to choose from the
songs of country music legend Dolly Parton.
"I was happy that I picked out that song,
actually," said Ramiele, "because if I didn't pick that, I won't be able
to grow more as a performer, to just walk on stage and have more, you know,
connection with the audience."
Ramiele also said that she did not regret
joining American Idol. She pointed out, "If I regret anything, I'd
hate myself for that. I love every moment, every bad thing, every good thing,
every sleepless night, every stress that I got. I just love every moment
of it."
When asked what would she miss during her
short Idol journey, Ramiele answered, "All the little things and all
the person that I've met. Just be around with everybody that I was
around—getting to work with the band and everybody else."
After American Idol, the girl from
Miramar, Florida plans to go back to school. She said, "I probably go back
to school for nursing because I just really want to and maybe acting, I don't
know."
In the end she left a message for American
Idol judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul. She said, "I
would like to thank them a lot for making this possible for me."
Bessie to release her
first CD album!
According to Regine Velasquez, "Covers" is
the most expensive album she has made so far. "Because local composers wrote
all songs, securing the rights for each was a must, and quite daunting -
in more ways than one... So out of respect for the works, di ko masyadong
binago ang mga kanta. In-update ko lang ang areglo para mas maka-relate ang
mga listeners ngayon."
Those are REGINE'S WORDS.
HERE ARE MINE:
By Archimedes Dairocas
In the Philippines, I was already knocking
on the doors of Regine's camp for
 my songs but unluckily she was just extremely busy
doing other stuff that my proposal was put on a shelf. I did not realize
until I heard it myself that she really liked and re-recorded my song "Mahal
na Mahal". If i knew it then, I could've given her all the glory to record
it when I was promoting this hit song simultaneously in 1992. That is how
much I look up to this extraordinary Songbird of all of Asia. I'm a true
fan of Regine and as i've said sooo many times, this is a dream come true
for me.
Now, my latest protegé is no other
than the top caliber BESSIE ALEJANDRO who hails from Bacolod. My colleagues
in the Songwriter's Guild of America thought her singing style is black gospel
and they admire her soul. I'm a member of National Recording Academy, which
constitutes the Grammys every year and my only wish is that one day a Filipino
artist will shine in the mainstream U. S. of A and Europe through hits and
awards. Or I can die trying!!!! I've dealt with numerous artists here but
Bessie and I have good chemistry and there are a couple of things we have
in common, we share the same emotion in music , the attitude in musicianship
and she has no Primadonna Effect (we work, we get it, we go). We like
alternative, R&B, pop, dance and soul; that's why the album title is
"GENRE" (Zhun-ra) as it represents the different styles in music. There's
a special song in that album that she and her circle of friends and fans
love most, "YES!" As for me, my personal favorite is the remake of the
Stylistics' song "TEARS AND SOUVENIRS." There are 4 beautifully written songs
here and we have kind of a crazy song called "FOOL" (ur'right, according
to the title) and the re-make of "SAY IT AGAIN."
All songs are mixed by Steinberg's Nuendo
and Mastered in ProTools and as you see the picture with her -the same U87
by Neumann mike she actually used in her vocal tracks. All guitars are very
well performed with utmost delivery by Robin "Berklee Boy" Macatangay. This
is another showcase from Cool Music Productions and 888 Records, NY.
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